Bang Bang
by hypheniated
Summary: In which after seven years in Italy, Itachi returns home to New York, bringing with him a young Italian girl Ino, and a now-grown up brown-haired female from his childhood memory suddenly appears to wreak havoc upon him. ItaHana, KibaIno, SasuSaku.
1. Crash Crash

_For – Dragon JadeFire's ItaHana 100 prompt challenge._

_Used - #35, childhood_

**.:****雪****:.**

Chapter 1 - Crash Crash

**.:****雪****:.**

"Signor Uchiha, how many more hours until we reach America?" sixteen year old Ino asked, pulling out an earbud from her ear.

She gazed expectantly at Uchiha Itachi sitting beside her.

"There is no need to address me as signor anymore, piccola. You are not a servant anymore, you are my ward." The dark-haired man dismissed quietly. "And as for time, we have another four hours."

She pouted. She jammed the earbud back in, and cranked up the volume. Itachi could hear strains of bouncy-beat synthesizers.

He sighed tiredly.

What a week.

Ino's parents had died because of a collapse in the walls of his villa because of an earthquake.

Then he assumed guardianship of the girl to prevent her marriage into the Hozuki family, who were only looking for a breed mare to ensure their clan with dozens of heirs.

And now he was due back in New York because Father was in hospital with a collapsed artery, and Sasuke had left his elder brother with a big mess to clean up.

A very big, very messy, may-have-gotten-a-girl-pregnant mess.

Itachi did not wish to interest himself with the details until he got back to the States.

"Ino."

The blonde looked up. "Si, sign-Itachi?"

"Piccola, remember to speak English instead of Italian."

"_Perché_?" She grinned, purposely trying to annoy him.

He ignored her question. "We are going to New York, and they speak English. You are to live there too, piccola, and I expect you to do the same."

The young girl frowned. "You are making it difficult for me, Itachi. It's not fair! English is hard." she pronounced slowly.

"I know, piccola. For me too."

It had been a full seven years since he had left his parents and idiotic little brother in the US to live in Italy. He'd nearly forgotten how to speak English.

"I miss Florence, Itachi. I miss your villa already." she murmured sadly. "I miss our Italy."

"We will return, piccola." he promised quietly.

"Stop calling me a child! I'm sixteen, _signor._" she growled.

"You know nothing of the world. That makes you a child, piccola." he said wryly.

She huffed, and turned away.

But she turned back with another question.

"Will I be needing a bodyguard?"

He thought for a moment. "If it need be, I will hire one."

"Okay." She turned away again, closing her eyes to sleep away the rest of the flight.

Once she was settled again, Itachi took out his phone to make a call.

"_Hello?"_

"Mother."

"_Itachi! How much longer will you be?"_

"Another three hours."

"_I cannot wait to see this girl of yours!"_

"She is not 'my girl'. I am her guardian, Mother. That would make her my child." He was amused.

"_I apologize for mixing that up. A daughter?"_

"She is sixteen, and nine years my junior. I may have spent my last seven years in a country that doesn't care about marriageable age, but I do."

_All right, but I suppose you called for an update instead of talking about your adopted daughter."_

"Hn."

"_Don't 'hn' me, boy. Your father's not doing so well, because another artery collapsed. Sasuke-chan's hiding from all the press in my penthouse right now."_

His mother sounded too worried, and was definitely withholding some information.

He let it slide. His mother cared too much, and she liked to talk in person.

"I am sorry I could not come sooner, but other matters that required immediate attention needed me to fix them first."

"_My angel."_ She whispered tenderly. _"Always saving everyone. Come home safe."_

The call ended, and he closed the phone.

He stared out the window.

He wasn't looking forward to going back. He had left to avoid unavoidable circumstances, and he was definitely not interested in submerged himself into the crap again.

Lucky for him the debutante season was over.

He absolutely abhorred those wretched females, all gussied up in supposed glamour that really did practically nothing to conceal their physical assets, save for those who were considerably more modest.

It reminded him of the disastrous incident that drove him out of his home city.

Automatically, he turned to his childhood to relive happier and more pleasant memories.

A particular memory caught his mind's eye; maybe it had to do with the fact it was December, as the memory happened during the freezing month, or that it was a certain memory that always bothered him.

_Seven year-old Itachi sat on the bench in Central Park, bundled up in an expensive ski jacket and fur-lined boots as he watched his four year old little brother run around in the cold snow, pelting the Uzumaki heir with deadly-accurate snowballs._

_He was content to watch them. Anything to get away from home was nice._

_A hard object exploded into wet, powdery fluff as it hit the back of his head._

_Itachi immediately turned around to glare at his attacker._

_A girl, likely the same age as he was, was grinning sneakily at him, tossing a very familiar white ball of frozen wetness._

_She cocked her head; short twin braids flying, her cheeks pink with cold as he stared at her. _

"_What? Can't handle a little snow?" she mocked._

_He didn't respond. He was too busy calculating the distance between them, and if the height of the bench was advantageous to use._

_She took aim, and whipped the snowball at his head again._

_He dodged it, and tucked in his legs onto the bench._

_As she bent to scoop up more powder, he balanced himself on the back of the bench._

_When she stood up, he pounced and leapt off the bench, knocking her over._

"_Hey!" it was her turn to glare._

"_Hn." he smirked._

_She hooked one leg, gripped Itachi's wrists, and tossed him off of her, but locking him under her with a surprising speed and strength._

"_Who's the high and mighty one now?" she laughed._

"_Get off me." he said, deadpanned._

"_Nah." she smiled brightly._

_The onyx-eyed boy lay still for a moment, trying to figure out how to get this girl off._

"_If I get you off of me in the next fifteen seconds, I win. If I don't, you win. Okay?" he challenged._

_She looked warily at him. "Okay."_

"_One, two, three, four, five-"_

_He didn't move._

"_-six, seven, eight, nine, ten-"_

_She checked that she was holding him down well enough._

"_Eleven, twelve-"_

_And as quick as a whip, he pecked her pink counting lips with a kiss._

_She froze, her chocolaty brown eyes wide._

_He gently pushed her off of him, raising her to a sitting position._

_He traced one of the two odd red marks on her face. _

_She was pretty, and she was strong, like his mom when she was mad at Father._

"_When we grow up, we should get married, okay?" he asked solemnly._

_She thought for a moment. "Okay!"_

_She held out her gloved pinky finger. "Pinky-swear on it."_

_He hesitantly stuck out his own pinky finger. "Like this?"_

_She hooked their fingers, smiling, and she let go._

"_I have to go find my little brother. Bye!" and she ran off._

He smiled a little at that childish memory. He never got the girl's name. New York was too big. He'd never find her again.

It was just one of his more cherished memories of an uncorrupted childhood.

"Signor Uchiha, we are about to land." A disembodied voice intoned.

"_Grazie_." he replied curtly. "Ino."

She shot up like a bullet. "_Siamo a New York_?" she asked excitedly. [Are we in New York?]

"English, Ino." he gently reprimanded. "We are in New York."

"_Dio_." she said admiringly, staring out the window. "It is so sparkly!"

"They are only _luci_." But he too stared out through the plastic, remembering the very same sight when he left seven years ago.

Smatterings of snow decorated rooftops, with patches of wet spots polka-dotting the runway.

They stepped out of the jet, Ino laughing with delight.

"_Bella, bella, bella_!" she cried out.

"Ino." the Uchiha admonished warningly.

"Sorry." she stuck out her tongue at him. "But it is so beautiful!"

He gave her a small smile, and began to walk towards the sleek waiting Aston Martin sitting idle for them.

She hurried after him. "What about our luggage, Itachi?"

He didn't say a word, and climbed in.

She turned and scanned her surroundings, noticing a luggage cart that was creeping silently behind her.

"Oh." And she scrambled in after him.

Inside the luxurious car, Itachi was dialling on his phone.

Ino slid in next to him in the backseat, pulling her hands into her sleeves.

"Mother? We have arrived. We shall be at your penthouse shortly, provided that we don't get too caught in traffic." he shut the phone.

"What do I call your mother?" she asked idly.

"I suppose she is your _nonna._ Grandmother." he disclosed.

"I see."

They were silent for the rest of the journey, and it was a full hour before they made it to the Upper East Side.

"_Dio._ All the buildings here are so pretty!" the blonde exclaimed.

"_Si._" the dark-haired man said shortly, and led her to the apartment building between two languorous maples.

A doorman, clad in a navy-blue uniform, stood steadfastly at the teak doors.

His jaw dropped.

"Itachi, what a surprise!" he said jovially, grinning like a madman. "You came back!"

"Yes. It is a pleasure to be back, Jonathan." the Uchiha allowed a smile. "Seven years since."

"Mikoto's gonna be ecstatic." he nodded. "Sasuke's staying here as well, you probably know. Who's the miss?" he gestured towards the female Yamanaka.

"Ino, meet Jonathan Caldera, the forever-annoying doorman of my mother's building." There was an indignant 'hey!' inserted. "Jonathan, meet Ino Yamanaka, my ward."

"Hello." she supplied softly.

"Hey." he grinned at her. "Ward, eh? That would mean you're Itachi's daughter of a sort."

"Si." she nodded, blinking. "I mean, yes."

"Pleased to meet you. Just enlighten me of your name if I ever don't allow you entry."

Itachi and Ino walked inside, and went in the elevator to go to the eleventh floor.

The dark-eyed man motioned for Ino to look closely, and slowly punched in a numbered code.

"The elevator opens into her penthouse." he stated as an explanation.

They went smoothly up, and stopped.

The doors slid open, and a mix of classic black and white hit their eyes.

A long-harried woman rose from a pinstriped sofa.

"Itachi!" she shrieked, rushing over to throw her arms around her oldest son.

"Mother." he didn't embrace her back, but he relaxed his body instead of tensing.

Mikoto let go, gazing at him. "You've grown so much, my angel."

She turned to Ino, looking at her critically, softening to a motherly stare.

"Hello, darling." she hugged the teenager. "I'm Itachi's mother, which in your case is grandmother. You must be Ino."

"Might I call you grandmother in Italian?" the Yamanaka entreated the dark-eyed woman.

"If it's shorter than grandmother, and it doesn't make me feel old." she joked.

"Nonna, where can I get a glass of water?"

"No need to get it, darling. Kara! Bring three glasses of water!" Mikoto barked to the hovering maid nearby.

"Where is Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"He's in his room. I suppose he should meet his niece." Mikoto rose gracefully, and walked off to the hallway where the bedrooms were located.

"Mother's a little…eccentric." the man murmured.

"_Tua madre __é folle_?" her blue eyes grew wide. [Your mother is crazy?]

"_Assolutamente no_." he glared at her. [Absolutely not.]

She cringed. "_Mi scuso_." [I apologize.]

The Uchiha matriach floated back into her antechamber, with her second son trailing behind her.

"Ino, meet your uncle." she said proudly.

"Uncle?" Sasuke, with surprised eyes, stared at his brother. "Itachi?"

"I've decided to come back." the man said dryly. "And Ino's parents died, so I am fathering her."

"Oh. I was wondering why the hell she looked my age." Sasuke stared at Ino.

"It is rude to stare, _Zio Sasuke_." the blonde said haughtily.

"Sorry. Nice to meet you, Ino." he clumsily apologized, and sat down. "So you've heard what I did, Itachi?"

"With whom?"

"Haruno Sakura." he stared down at his hands. "I know, I'm best friends with her, and enemies with her, and I screwed up all that."

"A worthy choice." Itachi mused. "I've always liked her."

"Watch it. But now she won't speak to me. She thinks I told the society pages, and now they're printing up a bunch of shit."

"Who do you think did?"

"Probably Naruto. By accident. He's the only one I told." the youngest Uchiha grimaced. "I'm going to kill-"

"Hush, Sasuke." Mikoto soothed.

"What about Sakura? Has she told anyone?"

"She told Karin, and you know how Karin is. Biggest gossiper, yet she keep all secrets if you make her promise. And she's Sakura's best female friend. Course she keeps Sakura's secrets. Only Naruto's stupid enough."

They would have continued if it wasn't for Ino.

"Itachi, Zio Sasuke, I apologize for interrupting, but I am fairly sure that Itachi's jet-lagged or something from the flight as I am. Talk tomorrow." the blue-eyed girl implored.

"Yes. Ino is right. We should go rest anyways. It is past ten o'clock." Mikoto cajoled.

Sasuke sauntered back towards his room without another word.

"Very well. Is there enough room for us, Mother?"

"Actually, you and Ino have to share your old room, my angel. It is only temporary, I promise, until I find you two an apartment." she sighed. "Good night." she skimmed back into the kitchen, presumably to get something to drink.

The remaining pair walked to the bedrooms.

Inside the elder Uchiha's old bedroom was as untouched when he left it. His desk by the window, his navy bed by the right wall still lay in the same places as it did seven years ago.

"There is a futon in the closet. I will sleep on it." Itachi said.

Ino didn't object, flopping onto his bed. She pulled out her high ponytail, tossed it on the night table, and wiggled under the covers, apparently too exhausted to change. "_Buona notte_, Itachi." she closed her eyes.

"Buona notte, piccola." and as quietly as he could, the Uchiha opened the closet, pulled out the futon, and lay on it.

It was an exhaustive day, and they both needed to sleep.

**.:****雪****:.**

The next morning, it was cloudy, and the skies threatened to snow again.

Ino had changed into a fresh long turquoise sweater and grey tights, and was gently trying to wake the Uchiha up.

"Itachi, get up." she frowned as he rolled over without a sound.

She brightened with an idea, and spoke louder. "_Padre, svegliati_!" [Father, wake up!]

He shot up, nearly hitting the laughing girl in the nose.

"You called me padre." he accused. "Are you dishonouring your parents' memory?"

She immediately sobered. "Ma mio padre... mio padre non hanno prova di spirito." [But my father... my father wouldn't have minded.]

"Mi scuso." He fell back into his makeshift bed. "Dio, why are you waking me up so early, piccola?"

"I want to go shopping!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "And you, _mio padre caro_, is going to take me!"

He groaned. "Why not have Mother take you?"

"Nonna left already, saying that she had to go visit Kushina Uzumaki."

"_Fuori_. I am going to change."

She scurried out happily, clutching her iPod, earbuds already jammed into her ears.

He sighed. Out of his luggage he grabbed a worn black sweater and black jeans, putting them on.

After dragging a comb through his long hair, and securing it with a discreet black tie, he met an excited Ino.

"We are going to need warmer clothes, padre. It is…_congelamento._"

"Freezing." he translated for her.

"Freezing." she repeated. "More jeans, _naturalmente. _They are all good, and fashionable. More sweaters, jackets, scarves, mittens, hats and boots too. I need a new pair of boots."

They bundled up with the warmest clothes they had, and went downstairs.

Jonathan greeted them at the doorway, and was about to allow them out when someone wearing a bright orange coat almost barrelled into the long-haired pair.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to almost run you- Itachi?"

"Good morning, Naruto." the dark-haired man acknowledged him as if he saw him yesterday.

"Itachi! I didn't know you were coming back!" the blond boy grinned. "How was Italy?"

Only then the Uzumaki noticed the girl beside him.

"Is that your girlfriend? Isn't she…kinda…young for you?"

Ino laughed. "I am Ino Yamanaka, Itachi's ward."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ino. I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" he crowed. "So you're like Itachi's kid?"

"Kind of. He is taking care of me from now on because my parents died earlier this week." she closed her eyes.

"Sorry. I know what that feels like. I was practically raised by Mikoto because my mom and dad were almost killed in a car crash and didn't wake up for three years." his cerulean blue eyes glazed over. "But now they're awake and alive and seriously kicking some butt. Anyways, I was going to see Sasuke, so see you later!" he ran into the elevator, and waved at them as it closed.

"He is very kind-hearted." Ino commented.

"He is. He owns a fox, a falcon and a dog, all of which he found injured. If I'm not mistaken, his girlfriend is Hinata Hyuga, who is just as kind as him." Itachi began to walk out, leaving Ino to scramble after him.

"_Aspettare,_ Itachi!" she yelled.

He slowed, and she hopped beside him.

"Where are we going first?" she demanded.

"We are going to Bergdorf Goodman's first." He was surprised at his good memory. "We have to cut through Central Park, it is a lot faster."

They were silent for most of the walk to Central Park except for Ino exclaiming her delight at nearly everything in a mix of English and Italian.

Finally, they reached the Park.

A couple children ran in front of them, giggling as they launched snowballs at each other, with cold mothers and cold nannies watching from the background.

Ino looked with longing at the snow. "I wish to play."

"Maybe tomorrow. I shall get Naruto and Sasuke's friends to go out with you."

A loud feminine yell cut through the near-silence.

"REPLAY! SURRENDER! ACHERON! GET BACK HERE!"

Three dogs- a golden retriever, a white-and-grey husky, and a brown-and-white King Charles spaniel- rushed at Itachi and Ino.

"_Cani_!" the blue-eyed girl cried happily, and knelt down to pet the spaniel and the retriever.

Meanwhile, the husky was circling Itachi amusedly.

A brown-jacketed figure wrapped with a beige scarf ran towards them.

"I'm so sorry! My scarf got tangled with their leashes, and I accidentally let go." she apologized frantically. "Acheron, boy, stop circling that man!"

She grabbed his leash, and tugged gently. "Sorry about him. He always does that." She reached for the other two leashes.

Itachi couldn't speak.

On her pinkened cheeks plastered with wet brown hair, were two identical unnatural red squared patches.

_Just like the girl from his memory._

**.:****雪****:.**

_As above stated, this is for the 100 prompt ItaHana challenge._

_Hopefully the Italian wasn't too confusing. _

_Translations: (forgive me if it's wrong, I'm using a translator.)_

_Signor- Mr. Piccola- little girl. Si- yes. Perché?- Why?. Grazie- Thank you. Dio- God. Luci- lights. Bella- beautiful. Zio- Uncle. Buona notte- Goodnight. Mio- my. Caro- dear. Fuori- Get out. Naturalmente- naturally. Aspettare- Wait up. Cani- Dogs._

_By the way, the divider_** 雪 **_means snow._

_Drop a review; I'd like to hear your comment._

_:E hypheniated_


	2. Meet and Greet

_Dedicated to – Sara, cause I just love her so much. :D And to Erika, because without her, this story wouldn't exist. _

_Used- #28, brother_

**.:****雪****:.**

Chapter Two – Meet and Greet

**.:****雪****:.**

The brown-haired girl straightened.

"I'm really sorry again." she sighed.

"You have such _adorabile cani._" Ino breathed, still petting the spaniel. The retriever settled itself back beside her mistress.

"Cani?" the girl said, confused.

Ino looked questioningly at Itachi.

"Dog. Cani means dog." he clarified hastily, still staring at the girl.

She was very pretty. Her skin was pale and free of any blemish besides of the red triangles on her cheeks, which only served to enhance her oddly plain, yet mildly exotic look.

Her hair was a chocolaty brown, and voluminously soft-looking as it was tied back in that simple, messy bun that girls seemed to currently favour.

"I see." she smiled. "I'm Hana Inuzuka."

Ino smiled back. "Ino Yamanaka-Uchiha."

The onyx-eyed man gave his daughter a strange look. Why had she addressed herself like that? "Itachi Uchiha."

Hana looked flustered. "Look, again I'm really-"

"Oh, stop it! You have nothing to apologize about." the blonde teen frowned. "We were just on the way to shop, but I really want some espresso now. Would you care to show us the nearest place to get some? And I would like for you to join us too. We will treat you! I have a lot of questions for you that I want you to answer about dogs."

"Oh, um-" she looked even more nonplussed.

"Please. It will deter Ino from the boutiques." he looked amused. "It would spare me the horrors of shopping for a little while."

"Oh, alright." Hana grinned wider this time, showcasing a pair of sharp canines.

Itachi tried not to imagine what erotic fantasy that could involve her teeth and his skin.

He was elated.

He had finally found the girl that haunted that memory of his.

Expectedly, she didn't seem to recognize him.

That bothered him a little. Was that memory so insignificant to her?

"Ita-chi, Ita-chi! You are so far be-hind!" Ino sang. She was holding the leash to the spaniel.

Hana was waiting beside her, holding the other two leashes.

"Coming, piccola." he walked towards them, and they set off as a group.

"Are all these dogs yours?" Ino began.

"Acheron is. Surrender- the one you're holding, and Replay belong to two people who left them with me to take care of while they're spending the winter in St Bart's." Hana smiled wryly. "All my clients are all the rich and famous of New York."

"_Vedo_." the blue-eyed girl said.

"I don't speak your language." the other woman said bluntly.

"I see." Itachi translated.

"Are you two from out of town?"

"We used to live in Italy." the teen frowned. "But since his Uchiha family needed Itachi back here, we came."

"...Wait, did you say your names were Uchiha?" Hana tried to undo her hand from the knot that the leashes made in her hand.

"Yes. Why?" the onyx-eyed man asked warily.

She could be a gold-digger for all he knew, he realized. She could be any type of person despite the innocence of their meeting in childhood.

"My little brother's friends with Sasuke." she murmured, trying fruitlessly to untangle her hand.

"Let me help you." Itachi pulled off his gloves, and reached over to tug at the knot.

His warm hands grasped her freezing gloveless hand to yank the rope.

She flinched almost invisibly, and stared up at him in bewilderment.

Their mere touching had seared each other.

He tried not to lose focus as he concentrated on undoing the tangle.

"I will take a leash." leaving her with no argument, he took the husky's leash.

They finally made it into a snow-covered tiny coffee shop.

"This place has pretty good coffee." Hana said, smiling again. "I come in here a lot."

They sat down at a table by the large window, with Hana on one side, and Ino by the window and Itachi beside her.

"_Voglio un caff__é con panna_." the blonde declared. [I want an espresso with cream.]

Itachi gave her a sharp look.

"She refuses to speak English?" the brown-haired girl laughed.

"To annoy me." Itachi answered.

"Hey, bug boy!" she yelled teasingly at a boy with sunglasses who just came in from a back door. "I want some service!"

"Hello, Hana." the boy leisurely made his way over. "Hello, other customers."

She ruffled his bushy hair. "How are you and the girlfriend?"

"The girlfriend's in the back because he made me stay here!" came an indignant female voice shrilly.

Hana laughed again. "You can't keep locking up your lovely maiden in the back, you know. She needs to work and get paid."

"Hn." Shino shuffled. "I don't want her out here. Too many men."

"I HEARD THAT!" the swinging door snapped open to reveal a furious blonde. "Stupid overprotective asshole." Temari stomped over, her high-heeled dominatrix boots clicking across the floor. "Go away, bug boy, I'm gonna take their orders!"

She tried to push him with her hip, and he didn't budge.

She sighed angrily, and grabbed his face to plant a ferocious kiss on his mouth.

She detached herself from the dazed boy ten seconds later, and nudged him out of the way. "Alright, what do you want?"

"I'll have my usual latte, double the caramel."

"Caffé…con…panna." The blonde teen gasped from giggling so hard.

"Americano." the onyx-eyed man said simply.

"Gotcha. Now, Shino darling, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Temari's voice was coated in sugary sarcasm.

He grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, and marched off to the swinging back doors.

Both remaining girls burst into giggles as Itachi looked at them impassively.

They calmed down, and Ino started a barrage of questions on Hana.

The lone man tuned them out, and focussed on the pretty hazel-eyed female in front of him, taking her in.

Her eyes were almond-shaped, with delicate eyelashes that were not covered in mascara, he noticed in surprise. It didn't seem to be a single trace of makeup on her face, save for a slight sheen of lotion, and the dull glaze of ChapStick.

Her ruby-red lips were full and wholly kissable. Her body was slight, yet toned to the beginning point of muscle.

Her hands were marred with tiny scars and dirty band-aids, which made him curious to what the hell did she do to them.

"Here. Sort out your own drinks." the three looked up, startled, as a dishevelled Temari delivered their drinks and hurried back into the kitchen.

Ino immediately snatched up her drink, and took a long sip.

"Mm. It's even better than back at home!" she uttered in delight.

He drank a mouthful, and was quite contented with the taste. "It's very good."

"Told you." Hana laughed again. She cast her eyes at the clock.

"Oh hell. I'm really sorry to ditch you two like this, but I have an appointment in twenty minutes." she frowned as she quickly buttoned up her coat.

"It is alright!" the blue-eyed girl chirped. "Ciao!"

"See you around!" and she disappeared out the door in a flash.

"She is so nice." Ino sighed. "Could we get a dog, Itachi? _Per favore?_" she begged. "_Prometto di essere buono._" [Please? I promise to be good.]

"_Forse._" he paused. "After Mother finds us an apartment."

"Okay. Let's go shopping now!" she crowed happily, digging in her pocket to put down a twenty dollar bill on the table. "_Andare!_"

With a tiny groan, he rose from his seat to join her in walking out.

**.:****雪****:.**

They returned back to Mikoto's apartment, laden with bags labelled with expensive store names.

Jonathan helped put down the last of the heavy bags, and saluted the pair before stepping out.

"Ah, my angel." the Uchiha matriarch walked into view. "I found you and Ino an apartment not far from here, about a block away? It's plenty nice, darling, with big windows and a lot of space."

"Sounds lovely, nonna." Ino said sincerely. "Grazie."

"I'll just call up some quick movers-" the older woman started when a very loud voice snapped from nowhere.

"Hidan, shut up, yeah! I'm very sure Itachi's back! That's why we're here at Mikoto's place, yeah!"

"Fuck you, Michelangelo. We'll fucking soon see for our fucking selves."

Through the open door, almost tripping over the collection of packages, was four gangly men.

"Hidan, watch your mouth. A little lady's in the house." Kisame hissed.

"I'll tell you what to stuff up your mouth, you-"

"Hidan, language." Mikoto's no-nonsense tone immediately shut up the white-haired man.

"Itachi! You're back, yeah!" the blond whistled through his teeth before expertly hopping over the mini-mountain of clothes and clapping the male Uchiha on the back. Kisame did the same, while Sasori and Hidan offered a warm hand.

"Who's the princess here?" the redhead asked, gesturing at Ino. "A girlfriend? You look super young, doll."

"No. She's better described as my child. She's sixteen." the black-haired man rolled his eyes at the puppeteer.

"Seriously? Did you get married then? But she looks too old to be a kid of yours if she was born in your seven-year vanishing act." the blue-haired man blinked. "What's your name, girl?"

"I am Ino Yamanaka." she said clearly as she could. "My parents died, so now I am in Itachi's care."

"Sorry." Deidara said sympathetically. "We didn't mean to stir up stuff like that."

"It is alright." she smiled brightly at them all. "Could you help us move all our stuff into the apartment?"

"N-"

"Of course." Sasori said smoothly, cutting off the very pissed-off white-haired man. "I am Sasori. The blond is Deidara. The blue one is Kisame, and the one that keeps getting cut off is Hidan. We are Itachi's friends. It will be our pleasure to help you."

"Thank you." the black-haired man answered, and the six of them set to quickly pack up everything.

With detailed directions from the matriarch, they easily found the address, floor and exact room without much trouble.

"Wow, nice space Mikoto picked out!" Deidara whistled, dumping suitcases and duffle bags into the living room.

"Fucking hell, even my apartment isn't as fucking good." Hidan grumbled, tossing plastic bags next to Deidara's pile.

"And that's the last of it." Kisame dumped a couple heavy totes onto the wooden floor. "Give us a call when you want to hang out with us, Itachi. Right now we have to go to some art function of Sasori's. Later."

The four men trooped out.

"There is furniture in here already!" the blonde girl exclaimed. "_Lo vado per decomprimere ora, va bene?_"[I'm going to unpack, okay?]

"_Va bene._" [Okay.]

The teen scuttled off, dragging two fashionably turquoise-and-black suitcases.

Itachi looked out the overly-large window, gazing out over the tumbling buildings, messy trees and sticky traffic of his old city.

Of course he still had wondered what had become of that woman of the situation that drove him out of New York.

But for now, he did not quite care. It was ancient history, part of a past that was pure and tainted.

He turned to start moving his share of stuff that littered across the floors.

**.:****雪****:.**

The next morning, Ino sashayed into his bedroom, singing at the top of her lungs in dreamy silky Italian.

He groggily breathed out sharply. "Must you do that, piccola?"

"Si, padre." she laughed cheerfully, halting her serenade. "Because today you promised me that you would take me to be introduced to Zio Sasuke's friends!"

"_Dannazione!_" he cursed, rising, and reaching for his cell phone as the blonde perched on his bed curiously.

"Good morning, little brother."

"…_.for fuck's…sake…Itachi…what the hell do you want?" _the younger Uchiha's sleepy voice responded irately.

"Today you are taking Ino out to meet your friends."

"…_you're lucky that Naruto's having an outing I can actually bring her to today. Any other way I wouldn't do it."_

"And I need you to tell me who is going."

"_How am I supposed to know? Hn. Probably Sakura…the dobe obviously…Shikamaru…Hyuga and Tenten…Hinata…look. We usually all gather at Mother's apartment because it's like the center. Bring Ino there around eleven. You can have a look at my friends. Now go to hell, Itachi. I'm going back to sleep."_

The phone clicked off.

"It's settled, piccola. We shall go there at eleven, va bene?"

"Si. Grazie, padre!" she pecked him on the cheek, and jauntily danced away.

He laid back, soaking up the meagre sunlight that gleamed through his shuttered window.

Maybe he would take up Kisame's offer and call them after he dropped off his charge.

**.:****雪****:.**

Two hours later, they were back inside Mikoto's grand apartment.

Naruto had already arrived, bringing Sakura, who was determinedly ignoring Sasuke.

"Hello." Ino said shyly, fiddling with a button on her sleeve.

"Hey, Ino!" the blonde boy jumped up. "Didn't know you were coming with us!"

"Si. I mean, yes. Zio Sasuke said I could."

"Hi. I'm Sakura. Ino, right? Nice to meet you." the pink-haired girl extended her hand, and the other shook it.

"I hope we could be friends?" she said hopefully.

"Sure." the strawberry-haired female winked. "By the way, in case you're wondering, my hair is completely natural." she grinned.

The girls sat down, chatting a mile a minute.

Itachi gestured for his brother to follow him into the kitchen.

"So that is the girl you made pregnant?" he said, amused. "She grew quite a lot since I last saw her. Prettier, no?"

"Watch it." the younger Uchiha glared daggers. "She's carrying my child."

"She seems to be ignoring you, little brother."

"Hn."

Itachi shrugged. He was only going to offer one piece of advice. "I suggest you repair your relationship."

"Hn." Sasuke sauntered back into the living room, where Hinata and Neji Hyuga joined the rest of the group.

Itachi quietly observed as more newcomers entered the room.

Shikamaru Nara, Temari Subaku, Shino Aburame, and Tenten Kiriyu arrived in near unison.

He thought it was the end of them, when Kiba Inuzuka decided to make his entrance.

"But Hana!" a male voice whined loudly from behind the door.

"I can't pick you up later, Kiba. You're a big boy."

When the very familiar female voice spoke (albeit a little stern and teasing), Itachi thought that his heart nearly leapt-no, tore- itself from his chest.

The door swung open to reveal a tan, fairly tall brown-haired boy with red marks nearly identical to the woman beside him.

"Kiba! You're the last to come!" Naruto complained.

"Go to hell, fox boy." he retorted sullenly, casting his brown eyes across the room.

Ino cocked her head with interest.

"Ciao, Hana!" she called out cheerily.

The woman looked up. "Oh! Ino!" she blinked in surprise.

The male Inuzuka stared at the Italian girl, his dark eyes wide with curiosity.

"How do you know my sister?"

"I met her in the park!" Ino smiled brightly. "And you are…?"

"Kiba." he didn't take his eyes off of her.

"Alright, come on, let's go already!" Temari said loudly, tugging Tenten and Sakura up. "I don't want to be cooped up inside."

The entire group left, leaving Hana and Itachi alone in their respective doorways.

"Um…" she said awkwardly.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" he asked abruptly, stepping towards her.

She looked adorably nervous, biting her bottom lip.

"Please?" he finally stood in front of her, catching her chin in his hand.

Her skin was smooth as a pearl, and warm to hold.

Her big brown eyes widened.

"I…I…" she stuttered.

She bit her bottom lip again.

He frowned.

That poor kissable appendage would be overly-sensitive with pain and close to bleeding if she didn't stop.

"Do that again, and I will forcibly stop you."

She blushed, catching what he meant.

"I ask again. Would you like to have lunch with me?" he asked, a bit more coaxingly soft this time.

This time around, she seemed to snap out of her daze.

"I can't. I…I have something scheduled to do this afternoon." her skin seemed to pale further.

"Surely you can spare an hour of your time." he said silkily.

"I'd love to, but they'd get mad if I didn't warn them a day in advance." she gently took herself out of his grip. "Bye."

As fast as she could, she ran to the stairs, and disappeared.

He gave an odd smile.

That was definitely a harrowingly unique experience.

He slid on his gloves, and raced after her.

There was no harm in seeing what she going to do, was there?

**.:****雪****:.**

_Just really letting this story go with the flow. XD_

_Sorry for the long wait. Stupid writer's block and all._

_Review, pretty please?_

_Translations: Adorabile- adorable. Forse- okay. Andare- go. Dannazione- damn. Ciao- hello, and goodbye.  
_

_:E hypheniated_


	3. I Brought You My Bullets

_To- Willow. Ehh, about the ShinoTema. It's just crack. It's not supposed to make sense. I got that pairing from some story I read that was on crack, and decided to put it in because I thought it was very amusing and wanted to give it a try. _

_Used- #87, bullets_

**.:****雪****:.**

Chapter Three – I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love

**.:****雪****:.**

She didn't bother to take the elevator, instead choosing to run down the stairs, Itachi noted with slight surprise as he easily went after her.

She made it into the foyer, and she started to walk as normally as she could without attracting attention to herself.

Once they were out in the streets, she took off at an alarmingly fast pace.

He followed her all the way to the very edge of the Upper East Side where Hana finally stopped at a light, adjusting her scarf, seemingly very relaxed and not out of breath.

She moved on, this time walking quite leisurely before turning into a doorway.

He glanced up to look at the sign on the building.

'Miranda's Dresses' it was called.

Four mannequins were haphazardly wearing four garments that appeared to be hastily put on.

The glass door and behind the mannequins were blacked out by black-painted wood.

Resignedly, he wandered off to sit at a bench.

What could she have been doing that was so urgent and important? Surely it was not illegal or such to be so…secluded and awkwardly hidden.

"By Jashin, Itachi, what the fuck are you fucking doing here?"

The black-haired man looked up to see an irate Hidan carrying a curious black case.

"You looked like a freaking hobo, sitting there."

"What is in that case of yours, Hidan?"

"…why the hell not I tell you. It's a gun." the white-haired man declared proudly. "One I, hell- built myself for fun. You're right outside a freaking shooting gallery."

The other looked up at the odd building. "This one?"

"Yeah. One of the fucking best in town. It's called Miranda's Dresses, dumb shit of a name, but perfect cover. Not that it's illegal or anything, just that the owner would prefer that the cops didn't immediately beeline for the place if some fucking shooting happened. It's fucking brilliant, this place. All the shit you want free with membership, and she sells and rents out guns. What are you doing here, anyways?"

"I followed a girl here." Itachi said simply.

"What?" Hidan muttered in shock, staring at his friend as if he lost his head.

"She went inside." he jerked his head in to the doorway.

"…" Hidan's potty mouth hung open. "Are you serious you followed some girl here? You aren't shitting me, are you?"

"The only time I lied to you was when I told you ate rabbit when really you ate fried eel." the Uchiha had the gall to look amused.

"That was seriously fucking disgusting. I couldn't eat anything fucking properly for fucking weeks. I had to have a goddamn blender for all the crap I had to eat!" Hidan grimaced. "You seriously followed some girl all the way here?"

"Yes."

"I can't freaking believe it. You can come in with me. I wanna see this girl you bothered to follow."

The pair slipped inside.

The reception room was painted a cool grey, with racks of dresses in neat rows leading up to the front desk at the back.

A woman with spiky bottle-blonde hair looked up.

"Good afternoon, Hidan. Who are you, stranger?" she spoke with a lilt in her voice, as if she would rather be shooting than being receptionist.

"One of my best friends, Miranda. He's fine."

"Alright. Ivory is full, Surgery has just way too many sneaking in, but Venetian is free, with one person inside. Use that one."

"Thanks."

As the two men walked past, the Uchiha noted that the thing she was gazing down at was a dismantled pistol, and she was working at breakneck speed putting it all back together.

They walked past several rooms with reinforced windows, idly glancing at the people inside shooting giant targets.

"Those are for babies." Hidan snorted. "Shitty beginners. The targets are so big that they could build a fucking zeppelin with all that material."

They walked until the end of the hallway, with the white-haired man opening the door.

"Here. Wear these things otherwise your fucking eardrums will implode." he tossed a pair of earmuff to the other.

Itachi stood and watched in slight fascination as Hidan assembled all the metal bits together in his case, forming an impressively-simple-looking firearm.

"I know it looks fake or something, but this thing does not fuck around." he mouthed to Itachi.

The target was a tiny square of bright yellow silk the size of a quarter hanging on a thread and hook on from the ceiling.

Hidan gave a manic grin as he aligned himself with the teeny square, and fired.

Itachi blinked.

The scrap of silk was mere burnt flakes that floated slowly to the ground.

Hidan yanked off his headgear, Itachi poised to pull off his own.

"Isn't it aweso-"

A crack resounded off the walls, causing the white-haired man to curse.

"Hey, you bitch! You're supposed to wait thirty goddamn seconds after someone fucking fires!" Hidan yelled very loudly, enough for it to go through Itachi's earmuffs clearly.

"When did you start following the rules, babe?" a feminine voice responded coolly from the other side of the thick plastic screen that divided up the room. "And get my name right for once, will you?"

Itachi's skin prickled pleasantly at the sound of her voice and he unconsciously looked around for her figure.

But his mind raced a mile a minute. Hidan knew Hana?

"Fuck. Bambi. Sorry. Thought it was that cheap wannabe Candy." Hidan said sheepishly.

And why the hell were they using pet names for each other?

"Damn straight you should be sorry. Still on the silk, are you? Grow up, babe, and get used to the beautiful sound of beads already. Coming over to your side."

Before Itachi could breathe, the plastic was peeled back and Hana stepped out, her lovely face dropping into one of open shock.

Luckily, it was the trigger-happy male that unfroze things, picking up on the surprised face of his shooting-roommate, and the frozen stance of his best friend.

He smirked. "Hey, Bambi, your facial expression is very unbecoming these days, you know."

That snapped the brown-eyed girl back to normal. "Babe, there's nothing wrong with my facial expression."

"Not now. Was before." his grin settled wider. "Anyways, Bambi, this is Itachi, one of my best friends. Itachi, this is Hana, aka Bambi but you can't call her that cause that's my personal pet name for her, and she's my gun-roommate because no one except her can stand me."

"Mmhm. Now look, babe, and watch how the pros do it. Boys, cover your ears."

Unlike Hidan, who took a sturdy stance with two hands holding his gun, Hana lazily stood in front of the newly placed silk square, and fired with only a glance at her target and one hand on the metal.

The scrap was blown to flakes.

Itachi grimaced inwardly.

She was definitely not a woman to mess with.

But as she stood there, a teasing grin on her face, he couldn't help but feel as his brain fell blank and his heart jumped off a cliff.

"Anyways. I'm gonna continue my stuff. See you." she quickly squeezed back into her side of the room, and repeated thuds of the bullets were heard in rapid succession.

Hidan motioned to his friend to come out of the room.

As they stood in the hallway, Hidan laughed.

"Is Bambi the girl you were following?" he asked seriously after he settled down.

"Yes."

"You're not fucking around with me."

"I am not."

'…Holy shit you were following Bambi." Hidan gasped.

"Why do you call her that?" Itachi asked sharply.

"Why do you wanna know?" he responded cheekily.

"No reason."

"Tell me. I swear on Jashin that I won't tell. I'll even help you."

"Only if you tell me why you called Hana Bambi."

"Fair enough. I call her that because she's got brown eyes, and she looked really freaked out on her first day here, like a deer. So therefore I called her Bambi. Now spill."

"…I met her yesterday."

"And?"

"I wish for her to have a meal with me."

"Is that it?"

"As much as I will divulge for now."

"Fine. I'm going back in."

Just as he said that, Hana walked out, looking tired, her hair mussed, her clothes rumpled, and faint bluish bruises on her pale hands.

"Good luck." the white-haired man ducked back in.

He approached her quietly.

"I suppose you have time now?" he said softly.

She spun to face him, confusion marring her fox-like features.

"Oh! But I have to pick up my br-" she stammered, but was firmly cut off.

"Your brother is perfectly fine."

"Look, Itachi, you've got some child-bride. I don't touch married men." she said harshly, tugging carelessly on the safety on her gun.

He was confused for a second, and chuckled darkly.

"That I can explain to you, if you can join me for a late lunch." he cajoled.

As if on cue, her stomach growled, and she cursed.

"Okay, fine. I'll have lunch with you." she grumbled. "Anything goes. Just give me a minute to put my stuff away."

She cracked her fingers, and walked towards a locker room that was visible through a window.

He sighed.

Ino was messing with minds again.

He was going to have to reprimand for that, because he nearly lost his chance with Hana.

She emerged, carrying a large navy and white tote bag.

"I'm ready."

She had left her hair mussed, as if she didn't care, and her clothes were slightly straightened out.

They left a smirking Hidan in the background.

He grinned as he reloaded.

**.:****雪****:.**

_The chapter title is reference to My Chemical Romance's first album of the same name._

_No translations needed today. :D_

_Review?  
_

_:E hypheniated_


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